Annie’s Tip of the Week: Hanging an Art Collection

Time to fess up: have you ever fallen in love with a bunch of photos, paintings, or illustrations, then let them languish in a drawer because you couldn’t figure out the best way to hang the collection? Annie’s been there, and she’s got some easy tips for getting that art up on the wall, where it belongs, and where you can admire it every single day.

1. Start by choosing art that speaks to you, and group several items with a similar theme or style. Annie and her mum flipped over these bird prints they found on an architectural tour in Sweden. She used a single style of simple silver frame to show off, without distracting from, the prints.

2. Using craft paper, trace each framed print and cut out its outline.

3. Flip over the framed print, and find the spot where the center of the hanging wire hits the backing. Fold the craft paper in half and align the top of the folded edge with the top of the frame. Mark the hanging wire’s center spot on the paper. Repeat for each piece of framed art.

4. Unfold the paper cutouts and arrange them on the wall, with center markings facing you, and fix them in place with small pieces of painter’s tape. Try out different configurations until you find the arrangement you like best. The different sizes of Annie’s prints dictated an asymmetrical arrangement, and this can often be more dynamic or visually interesting than a symmetrical one.

5. Hammer hanging nails through each of the center markings, and remove the paper cutouts from the wall.

6. Hang the art, and enjoy!

Annie’s Tip of the Week: Hanging an Art Collection was last modified: October 14th, 2014 by Fresh American